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A stocking, sometimes referred to as hosiery, is a close-fitting, variously elastic garment covering the foot and lower part of the leg. Stockings vary in color and transparency. By analogy, the term is also used to describe a type of horse marking in which the white coloring extends from the horse's hoof to just above the knee.
Fashion often dictates the popularity of stockings along with the styles that are available. It was formerly made of woven cloth but now of knitted wool, silk, cotton or nylon (see hosiery). The word stock used to refer to the bottom "stump" part of the body, and by analogy the word was used to refer to the one-piece covering of the lower trunk and limbs of the 1400s-essentially tights consisting of the upper-stocks (later to be worn separately as knee breeches) and nether-stocks (later to be worn separately as stockings).
Half-stockings, covering the foot and part of the calf only, are commonly called socks. This word is an adaptation of Latin soccus, a slipper or light shoe. It was the shoe worn by the actors in Roman comedy-and so was used symbolically of comedy, as buskin, the high boot, was of tragedy.
In modern usage, stockings specifically refers to the form of women's hosiery configured as two pieces, one for each leg. The term hold-ups and thigh highs refers to stockings that stay up on their own, while the word stockings is the general term or refers to the kind of stockings that need a suspender belt (garterbelt, in American English), and are quite distinct from tights or pantyhose (American English). Thigh highs are often perceived as preferable to pantyhose for various reasons, such as:
- Aesthetics-garters, lace, top fashion, applique, exposure of the thigh, complexity (though it is possible to make tights with fake stockings tops near the top of the legs)
- Easier and quicker access to the genital area-enhances sexual spontaneity
- Message-as more detail is involved, a perception of erotic intent is raised
- Health and cleanliness-less sweat, more ventilation; reduction of fungal and bacterial challenge
- Personal convenience-it is considerably easier and quicker to go to the toilet while wearing stockings
Stockings are typically supported in one of three ways. The most common way is to wear a garterbelt, which is a piece of lingerie that goes around the waist like a garterbelt and has suspenders or "stays" that clip to the tops of the stockings to hold them in place. The second most common means of support is via "stay-up" technology, where the inside of the top of the stockings has added to it a band (typically silicone) of elastic but highly tractive material that resists slipping down the thigh. This is considerably less reliable in the sense of assuring that the stockings do not fall down, and depends a great deal on the geometry of the actual leg. Further, the elastic can be uncomfortably tight, leaving red marks and possibly aggravating varicose veins. The least common means of support is the circular elastic garter that is slipped up over the top of the stockings and which is intended to hold the stockings by essentially clamping it to the leg. These are the garters typically seen at weddings. They have much the same disadvantages as "stay-ups".
Many people prefer the look of garterbelt. Others feel that stay-ups are easier to find, as they are sold in most retail locations, whereas garterbelts and garters are not-or feel that stay-up stockings have less distortion of the top band, an important aesthetic consideration if this band is lace.
Traditionally, panties are worn underneath garters, and lingerie is still advertised and photographed in this way as featured in catalogues and on sites for lingerie by specialty companies such as Victoria's Secret, Frederick's of Hollywood, Secrets in Lace and e-Lingerie. However, there is a new fashion trend that has developed where some people wear panties over the stockings and garters. If the panties are reasonably full, this pins the garters to the body, making going to the bathroom or erotic play more accessible.
In 1959, pantyhose were invented by Allen Grant, Sr. These consist of both leg coverings woven together with a panty or girdle configured upper section that serves to obviate the entire issue of garters and garterbelts. The primary benefit of pantyhose is the convenience of not having to adjust them as much, and the fact that they leave a smoother line under close-fitting clothing. In the United Kingdom, the same garment goes by the name of tights or occasionally pantyhose.
Stockings terminology
- Cuban heel: A stocking with a heel made with folded over and sewn reinforcement
- Demi-toe: Stockings which have a reinforced toe with half the coverage on top as on the bottom. This results in a reinforcement that covers only the tip of the toes as opposed to the whole toe. These can be with or without a reinforced heel
- Denier: The lower the denier number the sheerer the garment. Stockings knitted with a higher denier tend to be less sheer but more durable
- Fishnet: Knitted stockings with a very wide open knit resembling a fish net
- Fencenet: Similar to fishnet, but with a much wider pattern. These are sometimes worn over another pair of stockings or pantyhose, such as matte or opaque, with a contrasting colour
- Full-Fashioned: Fully-fashioned stockings are knitted flat, the material is then cut and the two sides are then united by a seam up the back. Fully-fashioned stockings were the most popular style until the 1960s
- Hold-ups or Stay-ups: Stockings that are held up by sewn-in elasticated bands (quite often a wide lace top band)
- Knee-Highs: Stockings that terminate at or just barely below the knee
- Matte: Stockings which have a dull or non-lustre finish
- Mock seam: A false seam sewn into the back of a seamless stocking
- Nude heel: Stockings without reinforcement in the heel area
- Opaque: Stockings made of yarn which give them a heavier appearance (usually 40 denier or greater)
- RHT: Abbreviation of reinforced heel and toe
- Open-toed: Stockings that stop at the base of the toe with a piece that goes between the first and second toes to hold them down. They can be worn with some open-toed shoes, especially to show off pedicured toes
- Sandalfoot: Stockings with a nude toe, meaning no heavier yarn in the toe than is in the leg
- Seamed: Stockings manufactured in the old Full-Fashioned manner with a seam running up the back of the leg. In the past they were manufactured by cutting the fabric and then sewing it together. Today stockings are generally fully knitted and a fake or mock seam is added up the back for a particular fashion look
- Seamless: Stockings knit in one operation on circular machines (one continuous operation) so that no seaming is required up the back
- Sheers: Stockings generally of a 15 to 20 denier
- Thigh-Highs: Stockings that terminate somewhere in the mid-thigh
- Ultra Sheer: A fine denier fiber which gives the ultimate in sheerness. Usually 10 denier
- Welt: A fabric knitted separately and machine-sewn to the top of a stocking. Knit in a heavier denier yarn and folded double to give strength for supporter fastening
It all started with "Miss Chemistry" and the workers wearing "Nylons" at the New York World's Fair. Millions and millions of stockings were sold before all nylon production went to the war effort. The desire for stockings was so strong that a Nylon Black Market was going during the war. In 1945, when the war ended, nylon was once again used to make stockings. The demand for nylon stockings was so great that fights were common at stores selling stockings. These fights became known as Nylon Riots. Nylon stockings were so popular that they became a major part of fashion. A little known fact is woman started routinely shaving their legs because of sheerness of the nylon stockings. Stockings were a normal part of life until the 60s when hem lines went way up. This allowed for pantyhose to take over the market. Stocking production went way down and has never recovered since then.
Nylon Stockings in Society: At first, stockings were made from either silk or cotton. Rayon was the first attempt to have a manufactured material replace silk and cotton. Original nylon stockings had seams. At first, the manufacturing process of nylon stockings needed much manual labor including sewing the material together which created a seam. When the circular knitting machines for nylon stockings came on the market, stockings were made faster, with less waste and labor. The biggest advantage to the market was not lower cost but no seams in the stockings. But it took several years before seamless stockings became the fashion norm. Why? Wearing stockings was a must so a seam was an easy way to show that a woman was properly dressed. When seamless stockings became common, some movie directors would alert the viewer of a woman's character status by showing the stockings she was wearing. When you saw a woman in one of these movies wearing seamed stockings, she was probably a shady character, maybe a villain, tempest or part of the seamy (seedy) side of life.
Did the Stiletto heel keep seamed stockings in fashion during the 50s? Stockings with straight seams were a fashion must but there was always that extra effort needed to keep those seams straight. Seamless stockings were first introduced in 1952; the year after the Stiletto heel was invented. Now talk about bringing attention to the leg, that new thin heel made the old thick wide heel look terrible. The Stiletto brought the fashion focus back to the leg. Before the Stiletto heel, the stocking seam line just sort of stopped at the shoe. The new thin heel made the seam line appear to go down farther and thus made a woman's leg look longer. It was worth the extra effort to have seams when wearing Stilettos. Also, the common stocking had a block design on the heel but then the pointed design became popular which looked great with the Stiletto.
Nylon Stockings which are also known as hosiery, or hose, and popularly as "Nylons", are coverings for legs and feet. Early references to hosiery go back to the ancient Greeks. Workmen and slaves wore hosiery in ancient times, and Roman woman wore a short sock (called a soccus) in their homes. Silk or cotton socks were also worn in Japan and China for centuries.
Socks evolved into stockings in 12th century Europe. Breeches worn by men became close fitting, reaching from the waist to the foot like modern tights. Women wore nylon stockings held up at the knee by garters. After 1545 nylon stockings came into fashion, their seams were often ornamented by elaborate silk patterns, or "clocks". This term is still in use today as "fancy feet" the decorative seam treatments that were popular during the late 40's and early 50's.
William Lee, an English clergyman, made the first knitting machine in 1589. Silk and cotton were the popular fibers of the era. Silk of course was the choice of royalty as the discovery of the New World opened up trade in this rare and luxurious fiber.
There were many different ways to wear stockings. Nylon stockings were sometimes worn several pairs at a time in cold weather. In the 17th century when large boots were in fashion, linen "boot hose" were worn to protect the nylon stockings underneath. They had wide lace tops, which were turned over the boots. Men continued to wear nylon stockings with garters until the end of the 18th century, but long trousers begin to appear and socks have been worn underneath ever since.
In the 19th century machine-made nylon stockings became available for women. After World War I (1914-1918) short skirts were fashionable and long nylon stockings were worn again, once again, proving that fashion and skirt length determine hosiery fashion! With the discovery and ultimate use of Dupont Nylon in the late 30's and early 40's, the primacy of silk in women's hosiery waned. Silk was ultimately replaced by nylon after the war. But it was not without challenges from other man made fibers such as Rayon, Bamberg, and Vilene.
Nylon stockings which became popular after World War II (1939-1945) and completely replaced the silk stocking usually had seams until the late 1960's. They were knitted flat and "fully fashioned" which means that they were shaped to fit the leg like modern sweaters. By decreasing the number of stitches as the nylon stocking was knit towards the ankle, a garment was created that was "knit to fit".
By the early sixties, "fully fashioned" nylon stockings were rapidly replaced by modern reinforced heel and toe seamless stockings. Seamless nylon stockings are made on a circular knitting machines and are shaped by tightening the stitches. Hosiery is often described as being of a particular "denier", which means the thickness of the yarn. The gauge describes the number of stitches in a row.
In the 1960's when skirts were worn very short, many women began to wear tights (nylon pantyhose) instead of nylon stockings. To show, "a bit of stocking", was no longer accepted and while nylon stockings fought for market share by becoming extremely long, they became nearly extinct as nylon pantyhose gained in popularity.